‘India can defend its satellites`

Bangalore: India did not believe in space
wars but had all the technology required to integrate systems
to defend its satellites, V K Saraswat, Scientific Advisor to
the Defence Minister, said Friday.

"Our country does not have a policy to attack anybody in
space. We don`t believe in it. But as part of the Ballistic
Missile Defence Programme, we have all the technology elements
which are required to integrate a system through which we can
defend our satellites or take care of future requirements."

As a country, "we do not believe in space wars", he said
in response to a query whether India had anti-satellite
weapon capabilities.

India did not have a formal anti-satellite weapon policy
of attacking satellites in space, but was well geared in case
of any eventuality, he told reporters here.
Giving updates on the various defence programmes, he said
the `Nirbhay` project, relating to a subsonic medium range
cruise missile, is undergoing integration and the first flight
trial is expected early next year.

Discussing the Hypersonic cruise missile, he said it was
one of the most complex technologies under development with
only two countries -- US and Australia -- having done it so
far. He said the engine for the missile had undergone a test
of 20-second duration on the ground and had performed
"reasonably well".
He expected that in early next year the flight test of
Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle can be conducted in which they would
be able to demonstrate the flight engine at an altitude of 30
kms.

Giving an update on Agni-V missile, he said all the
rocket rotors, first stage, second stage and third stage have
been developed. "We will ground test it," he said adding the
software and hardware essential for control of guidance for a
long-range missile is being developed.

"We expect that by end of this year we will have the
first flight of Agni-V," he said.